


Et Tu, Merlin?

by AeonTheDimensionalGirl



Series: I’ve Got You (You’re Safe Now) [15]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), Canon Era, Caring Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Confused Merlin (Merlin), Deviates From Canon, Episode: s04e06 A Servant of Two Masters, Established Relationship, Fluffy Ending, Hurt Merlin (Merlin), Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Possession, Secret Relationship, Whumptober 2020, Worried Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:53:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27019102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AeonTheDimensionalGirl/pseuds/AeonTheDimensionalGirl
Summary: There’s something wrong with Merlin.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur, Merlin/Arthur Pendragon, Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: I’ve Got You (You’re Safe Now) [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1939345
Comments: 27
Kudos: 679





	Et Tu, Merlin?

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Art/words: The Truth Will Out](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12406923) by [LFB72](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LFB72/pseuds/LFB72). 



> **PROMPT No 15. INTO THE UNKNOWN**  
>  **Possession** | **Magical Healing** | Science Gone Wrong
> 
>  ** _LFB72_** 's fic is one of my favorites BBC Merlin works out there, I love it so much, and when I read the prompt I knew I had to write this.

The world stops for Arthur the moment he sees a mace hit Merlin directly on the left shoulder and the raven staggers back before collapsing on the ground and not moving.

Arthur quickly makes his way to him, stabbing two more bandits while at it, before coming to Merlin’s side, checking his breathing immediately and letting out a sigh of relief when he sees him exhaling gasps of pain.

Wordlessly, the King makes work to pull the barely conscious man to his feet, urging him under his breath to cooperate so they can get way and find cover-

“It’s bad, isn’t it?” Merlin asks a few hours later, when they’ve taken refuge under a small ridge of tree roots and the blond is inspecting the wound.

It’s a bloody mess of damaged skin; cuts open and slowly becoming purple pigmentation.

“I’ve seen worse” Arthur says in a tense tone, but he sighs when he sees the look the raven gives him, “It’s… it’s not good” he finally admits, voice small.

If they could find one of the horses… they could make it to Camelot for Merlin to be treated immediately and warn the council of a traitor… but the traitor was in the council-

“Arthur… _fy brenin-_ ” Merlin whispers, placing a hand under the King’s chin, bringing him out of his thoughts, “It’s alright”

“It’s not” the blond stressed, “Have you tried healing yourself?” he asked in a hopeful tone.

The warlock pursed his lips.

“I think I managed to stop an internal bleeding” he admitted, frowning, “But- the rest just fucking refuses to heal” he added with a wince.

Arthur cursed a multitude of dirty words that would have his former nannies and tutors gasping in horror.

Merlin simply looked at him with worry. Sighing, the King lay next to him, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

“We’ll have to move quickly come morrow” Arthur whispered, caressing his lover’s cheek, trying to give assurance and comfort.

“Alright”

* * *

It quickly goes to shit.

The bandits find them, forcing Arthur to carry a semi-delirious Merlin away on his shoulders, coming across a rock crevice that the King recognizes to lead towards Camelot until their pursuers catch up.

And then Merlin- his selfless, too fucking noble Merlin- causes a rockfall to win him time-

 _“I love you”_ his lover whispers in his mind before he disappears behind the boulders.

“No- MERLIN-!” Arthur screams in panic, “NO!”

But the warlock has already vanished.

* * *

Arthur sends patrols to scout the entire forest, ordering them search under rocks if they have to.

Not a single Knight complains. They all know that Merlin is important to Arthur, but it’s the closest group to them, the Knights of the Round Table, who know the truth.

His uncle, however, loudly objects about searching for a easily replaceable servant, and Arthur is quick to silence him with a glare capable of wilting flowers before sending him with the next patrol as punishment for his insubordination-

And yet they return with a bloody piece of Merlin’s jacket.

“I’m sorry you’ve lost such a loyal-” Agravaine starts to say, falling silent when the King raises a hand, eyes on the bloody cloth.

“You searched everywhere?” he asks, feeling numb.

“Yes, sire” Leon answers with a somber tone, “There was no trace-”

“Except for that piece of fabric” Agravaine interrupts, earning a glare from Leon and Gaius.

“Meeting’s over” the King says.

“But! Sire-!” his uncle exclaims.

“Are you questioning me, Uncle?” Arthur questions in a low.

“All of this for a servant?”

“Uncle, have you thought that perhaps I’m doing this for the benefit of a member of this council? If what you say is true, then Gaius has lost a nephew”

And I the love of my life, he wanted to scream.

Arthur cries himself to sleep that night, holding Merlin’s red neckerchief.

* * *

When he wakes, for a moment he swears to see Merlin ready to wake him up, and Arthur gets up excitedly, believing the whole thing to have been a horrible nightmare-

Until he takes a good look at the man.

“George?!” Arthur exclaimed, “Who put you on service?” he quickly demanded to know.

“Lord Agravaine, Sire”

The King gritted his teeth.

His uncle was getting himself in hot water with him lately.

“George” he called as he got up from the bed and walked towards the wardrobe, “When does the next patrol leave?”

And George, who the blond has never seen with another emotion other than neutral, hesitates and looks uncertain.

“Lord Agravaine has canceled them, Sire” he reveals, shifting in his spot.

Arthur narrowed his eyes.

“Did he now” he said with a dark voice.

“…Should I inform the stables to prepare your horse?”

“Please do”

* * *

To Arthur’s ire, his uncle decides to join him and Gwaine on their search.

“It’s clear that I’ve angered you by immediately replacing your servant” Agravaine said, smiling pleasantly, “Allow me to make amends to helping you and Sir Gwaine search for him”

“Absolutely no-” Gwaine began to say.

“You better keep yourself in line, Uncle” Arthur curtly replied.

“Are you mad? After his claims from yesterday?” Gwaine hissed at him when they were deep into the woods, Agravaine behind them.

“Especially because of his claims from yesterday” Arthur muttered back, “I want you and the rest of the Round Table to keep an eye on my Uncle”

“You think he might be the one who sold us out?”

“He’s the newest addition of everyone in the council” Arthur spoke in a low tone, a stone of dread in his stomach. After Morgana, the thought of another family member betraying him felt like too much, but-

“Merlin has never trusted him” he gave the Knights a knowing look.

“Hmm, that is suspicious enough” Gwaine agreed.

There was a rustle in front of them, next to the bog.

The men shared a look between them before dismounting, unveiling theirs swords.

“Show yourself” the King commanded.

Another rustle.

And then-

A figure emerged from the bushes, covered head to toe in mud.

And Arthur recognized him.

“Merlin?!” he asked, delight and relief taking over him as the man laughed the raven’s familiar chuckle in answer.

“Well I’ll be damned” Gwaine said.

“We’d thought we lost you!” Arthur exclaimed as he ran to embrace his lover onto a hug, not minding the bog mud that he was covered with-

Merlin tensed in his hold.

Frowning, the King pulled away, staring at him.

Ignoring the mud, the raven looked… alright.

No injuries what so ever.

“How’s your wound?” Arthur asked, worried that he might have done something when he hug his lover.

And to his astonishment, Merlin blinked in confusion.

“Wound?”

“…From the ambush?”

“Ah” Merlin blinked again before smiling, “I got it healed by the bandits, and then I tricked them and escaped through the bog”

“Just like that?” Gwaine asked in astonishment.

Merlin hummed.

“Yes”

“Let Gaius check you anyway” Arthur gently said, taking his lover by the arm and frowning when he tensed under his touch again, “You sure you’re alright?”

“Yes”

Feeling strangely perturbed at Merlin’s normal tone despite the ordeal, Arthur leads him to his horse, giving Agravaine a glare when he goes to open his mouth.

* * *

There’s something wrong with Merlin.

Arthur doesn’t want to think ill of his lover, but the raven has been snappy and downright rude with people ever since he woke up after having spent the night in Gaius's chambers for further observation just in case.

He’d insulted Guinevere, accusing her of trying to seduce the King when she did the courtesy of bringing his and Merlin’s lunches to save the warlock the effort so he could rest; and when Arthur had asked what was the problem, Merlin had glared at him, picked up the plate he’d brought and storming out of the chamber.

The King had also heard from Gwaine that he’d been uncivil with him too, treating him as if he’d forgotten about his friendship with the Knight. Elyan and Percival attested to this as well, noting that Merlin didn’t seem to like them anymore. 

To add to the strangeness, Merlin had a bout of disappearance remindful of the times in which Arthur didn’t know about his magic, right before a knighting ceremony; and the blond had also found a crossbow hidden in the cabinet and a bolt mark in the bed post.

Had there been an assassin and the warlock took care of it without informing him?

“What is wrong with you today?” the King finally asks as he confronts the raven in Gaius’s chambers later at night when he didn’t show up for dinner.

“I’ve had a bad day” Merlin coolly replied, turning his back to him to focus on a book about poisons.

Just when he’s about to give a retort, the King pauses, frowning.

For a moment, Arthur swore he saw something move under the skin of his lover’s neck.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” he asks Merlin.

“Fine” was the curt response.

“Will you come to bed?” the King asked in a hopeful tone, wanting nothing more to forget about the weird behavior of the day and just lay and hold his lover-

Merlin glared at him before getting up and walking to the little room in the Court Physician chambers.

Arthur was too shocked by the cold rejection to properly process what happened.

* * *

The next morning, Arthur asks Merlin to fill in a bath, thinking that perhaps they could make up from whatever misunderstanding that had occurred yesterday-

Except that when he’s about to step into the water, the smell of acid reaches his nose, making his eyes and throat burn.

He hesitates, tensing as he takes in the sudden silence in the room.

“Merlin?” Arthur softly calls with unease as he retraces his steps to where his spare sword rests-

Only to find it as a deformed lump of metal, half hidden behind the end of the bed.

Now the King was more on edge. He felt incredibly vulnerable naked, but nonetheless began walking around his chambers, hoping to make way to where he keeps his hidden dagger and wondering where was his lover.

He was talking to him a moment ago-

Arthur catches movement on the corner of his eye, and quickly turns around, arms up and ready to fight-

He staggers back in shock.

Standing in front of him, wielding the King’s dagger was-

“Merlin?!”

The warlock doesn’t let him dwell in confusion. With a growl that Arthur didn’t even though him capable of making, the raven lunges.

Survival instinct kicking in, Arthur jumps back, determined to deflect his lover, his fist completely encasing Merlin’s wrist to prevent him from plunging his blade onto the blond.

“Merlin- Merlin what-?” he asks with hurt and confusion as he watches the raven grunt in an attempt to free himself from the strong grip.

“Arthur Pendragon must die” his lover said with a maniac look in his face, pushing himself near the King in an attempt to win an advantage-

And it was then when Arthur noticed his eyes.

They were not azure.

Nor gold.

They were a pale green, like Morgana’s; and the pupil was a slit, like a snake’s.

“Merlin-” Arthur whispered in horror.

“Merlin is not here” the raven hissed as his lips pulled onto a dark smile, “Fomorroh is”

And taking advantage of Arthur shock, he ran forward.

The blond’s feet wore no boot to find purchase against the stone floor, and he’s pushed back until his back is by the edge of the acid filled bathtub, trapped.

Realizing that he’ll have to treat Merlin like an enemy in order to survive so he can free his lover from whatever is the creature that possessing him- Arthur’s training kicks in.

He releases his grip on the raven, letting Merlin fall forward while he dives to the side and rolls over his shoulder, springing onto his feet, prepared for the next hit-

But Merlin is gone.

A pitcher flies over his head, and Arthur nearly avoids it.

One by one, objects begin flying, trying to hit him, and the King barely manages to avoid them.

_“Sire?!”_

“Call Gaius!” Arthur orders the guards outside the door while rolling to the side to prevent a fork from embedding itself on his throat, “Tell him it’s his ward!”

He is then tackled from the side towards the ground, and nearly avoids the dagger from stabbing him in the shoulder, clutching Merlin’s wrists in time.

“Merlin?” Arthur tries to call out for his lover. He must still be somewhere in there.

“No Merlin” the warlock grunts with a feral grin, “Fomorroh”

“Alright then” the King grunted, deciding to appease the creature possessing Merlin, “What do you want?”

“Arthur Pendragon must die” the creature hissed, flicking a forked tongue that Merlin most definitely does not have.

“Why?!”

“Mistress ordered”

_Morgana._

Arthur was going to kill her with his bare hands.

“Merlin-” the King gritted out as Merlin shows no sign of coming to his senses. The blond’s hands are gathering with sweat, making him begin to lose his grip, “Merlin- please- you would never hurt me. I know you're in there somewhere-”

For a moment, his lover stills, and Arthur feels a glimmer of hope-

“NOT MERLIN!” the raven screeches. The King forces himself to push more.

“I don’t want to hurt you!” he shouts, “Please Merlin- I know you’re in there!”

But the raven growls, moving forward to bite-

Arthur puts all his effort into pushing Merlin against his back, hearing a sickening crack at the same time his lover’s head hits the stone, body sagging.

The blond’s breath hitches in horror.

“Merlin- No-” he cradles his love’s face, “What have I done?” he whispers as tears burn behind his eyes-

Azure eyes blink open.

“Arthur?” he whispers in confusion, shaking his head as the King lets him go.

“Oh, thank gods!” he exclaims in relief-

Which is cut short when a shadow falls over the raven’s face, eyes turning serpentine once again.

“ARTHUR PENDRAGON MUST DIE”

They both scramble for the dagger; Arthur gets there first, grasping the handle firmly before pressing the blade at the pale throat.

“Stop this” the King hisses, before a realization strikes him.

Merlin has been possessed by a creature to kill him.

And everyone who _truly_ knew Merlin… knew he was an excellent assassin.

The blond quickly thought back to the attempts. The crossbow in the cabinet had been set to release a bolt upon opening the door, and yet when Arthur did so nothing happened; there were non-smelling poisons that could kill upon contact, and yet the one poured in the bath had a distinctive smell-

Arthur smiled slowly.

He handled the dagger to Merlin.

“Go on then” the blond said, “Kill me”

The creature in control of his love must have not seen it coming, for it simply stared at the weapon dumb-founded.

“I’m right here” Arthur goaded, pointing to his chest. “What’s wrong? Did you change your mind?”

Merlin blinked.

“I-” he whispered, “I…”

“You won’t do it” Arthur said, extending his arms as if making a proclamation, “Because no matter what you may claim, Merlin- my Merlin- is still in there, sabotaging your every move”

“How- how do you know this?” the creature asks with a confused hiss, still not making a move. It seems petrified.

Arthur smirks.

“Because if you really were in complete control of Merlin, you would have used his best weapon” he began to explain, “You would have done what others have tried and failed to do” he leaned in, until his lips were near the raven’s ears.

“You would have used magic”

Everything came to a sudden stop.

The knife slipped from Merlin’s fingers, cutting his digits and palm before falling to the floor, making a loud clatter.

Serpentine eyes blink, changing back into azure.

“Merlin” Arthur called, daring to hope.

“Arthur” Merlin whispered with distress in his face, as his eyes began to shine with gold, “Arthur- dodge-”

And the warlock drops his head back, releasing a scream that does not sound human as his body glows with magic; the King forcing himself to do as the warlock asked, crouching as a wave pulses from his lover, and making the glass in the windows crack-

Before it’s over as sudden as it began.

Merlin’s eyes roll to the back of his head at the same time his body sags. Arthur catches him in time before he hits the ground, wrapping his arms around his lover in a firm embrace, holding him close to his chest as exhaustion settles on him.

It was over.

Arthur takes deep breaths, trying to force his body to calm down from the ordeal as he breathes in the comforting and familiar smell of Merlin.

“It’s alright” he pants, “You’re alright, we’re alright- you’re safe”

In his arms, Merlin began to stir, finally opening his eyes, looking dazed.

“Arthur” he murmured in evident relief.

“Hello, _cariad_ ” the blond greeted, cupping his lover’s cheek, the raven leaning into the touch.

“You figured it out” Merlin said in a weak voice, smiling.

“I did”

“Good”

Arthur kisses him briefly, pulling back to give the warlock a small nuzzle-

And that’s when notices the blood spreading on Merlin’s tunic.

Right where he got injured in the forest, on his shoulder.

“Merlin” he whispered in alarm.

The warlock stilled as he took in the wound from the forest.

“Oh” Merlin said in a faint voice.

And then he surprises the King by letting out a laugh.

“Oh I’m never complaining about my healing spells ever again”

“Why? What-?” Arthur asked, bewildered.

“Morgana-” the warlock replied with a small smirk as his eyes began to close, “Is just as horrible in healing magic as I am”

And promptly passed out.

“Well then” Arthur muttered with bemusement as he gathered his lover into his arms, mindful of his old and new injuries and placed him over the bed.

Tucking Merlin in, the blond settle to waiting for Gaius to come back with his supplies.

He does not look forward to explaining this.

* * *

“Do you think it’ll scar?” Merlin asked later that night as they settled for bed, rubbing the new bandage on his neck, where Gaius had extracted _the head of a fucking snake_ , looking self-conscious.

“Will it bother you if it does?” Arthur asked while pulling the duvet over themselves, taking the opportunity to place another pillow behind his beloved’s back to keep him semi inclined in favor of his injured shoulder.

“Well- I suppose not” Merlin murmured, “But I have so many scars on my body- I’m sort of tired of gaining more” he admitted as his cheeks flushed.

“It sort of comes with the job” Arthur said softly, caressing the raven’s cheek.

“I know” his lover said as he leaned to the touch, “But I can’t help feeling tired of it” he whispered.

“I understand” the King replied, “But don’t mind if it scars, _cariad_ ” the blond whispered in his lover’s ear, “You know I will love you even if you were left disfigured-”

“Wow, thanks-”

“And-” Arthur stressed with a laugh before kissing the pout off Merlin’s face, “And- I’ll still worship you as if you were a god, for no matter how damaged you think you look, for me you will always be beautiful”

“Hmm… worship you say?” Merlin whispered, eyes going dark.

“Yes” Arthur murmured lowly with a smirk, hands traveling under the covers to the raven’s sleep breeches, trailing over the laces. 

“Show me then”

“As you wish, my lord”

**Author's Note:**

>  _Fy brenin_ = Welsh for 'My king'  
>  _Cariad_ = Welsh for 'Love'
> 
> Anyone else bothered that Arthur never found out that Merlin was under Morgana’s control in canon? BeCAUSE I STILL AM!


End file.
